Process of producing alkalis from kelp.



H. i.. TRUMBULL. ynncfss oe; Pfmucms Manaus 5mm KELP.

APWLICTIOM FILED MAR. 22, 1917,

@mentaal Aug., 533%,

Lwmmm wm. M f

R.. U I w w,

` `netite. y

`Heinen L. rnUMBULi-l, orsnarrrn; WASHINGTON.

naasten. y

PROCESS OF PRDUCING ALKALIS FROM KEL?.

Speciication of Letters Eatent. Y Patented drug'. 2%, lgllwa V Appiication mediteren 22, 1917. serrano. 156,741.

To aZZ 'whom traag Concern.' 'Y l Be it known that I, HARLAN L. TRUMBULL `citizen ofthe United States, residin at Seattle, in the county of King and tate of Washington, have invented certainne'w and useful Improvements in Processes of Producing Alkalis from Kelp, of which the following is a specification'll Myfinvention relatesto a process for the production'of alkalis from kelp by the employmenty of a method known as. electrical endosmose and 'has for its object to vaiford a processwhereby the referred to alkalis mayy befobtained more expeditiously and 1.5; cheaply thanu hitherto. ,A further object is `to furnish compounds of potassium more valuable than those commonly derived from kelp.

The invention consists in the novel process herein-after describedand claimed.`

The apparatus by which myinventionis attained, is illustratedfin the accompanyingl drawings, in which-Figure lis a plan view, Vand Fig 2`is atransverse vertical section through 1- 1 of Fig. 1. f

which may or may not be freshly harvested,

(preferably after first being ground or cut The cathode'Gis of mercury and during electrolysis makes'intimate Contact with the above mentioned porous partition on` the opposite side from the kelp indicated by H. By electrolysis mercury is converted into an amalgamof alkali metals, which amalgam is decomposed inthe presence of water VIn either case the`resulting solution is 'a 1 mixture of alkalis containing a high percent- Inthe production of alkalis from kelp.;v according to,my invention the moist kelp,-

to furnisha solution of alkalis; rlhis decomposition may be hastened by the use of contact agents such as graphite carbon,`nickel or certain other solids. The decomposition ofthe amalgam vmay be eected either during the electrolysis or after its completion.

age of caustic pota'sh. The alkalis may be obtained in solid form by evaporating the solution to remove water and other volatile substances.

It may be remarked that the material which isused as a partition B to separate anodic and cathodic compartments may be of any composition so long as it possesses suitable rigidity, porosity, and insolubility. `t5

.I claim as my invention:

1. The process herein described for obtaining a -miXture of alkalis, consisting' firstly, ,ofy electrolyzing kelp in a divided cell -with.:amercury cathode, with the Vprodue- 70 tion/fflalkali metal amalgame, secondly in thel treatment of the amalgame soV produced with Waterto form asoltion (of alkalis, and thirdly, the production of solid alkalis bythe evaporation/of water and other volatile materials.V

2. VThe process ofobtaining :alkalis from kelp by electro-osmosis,consisting in rst removinglthe alkali; metalfions to the mercury cat form amalgame, then .decomposing the amalgams inthe presence of lwaterto `produce alkalis-and nlly, veporatng the liquid therefrom. y. .l

3. The process-2 fabiani-11g .la einem `Signed -at'j Seattle, Washingtomthis 17th l day'of March 1917.' H

w ARLAN L. TRUMBULL. p Witnesses:

PIERRE BARNES, W. W. MONTGOMERY,

odefto -be therein discharged to as from kelp by irsltfs'ubjectingthe,kelpto an". electro-osmotic ,actionA employing a1 mercury cathode, and then treatingthe amai am prof., i duced, thereby withwaterlto' aifor Ala solu-qgff tioii of alkalis.contain'ingzcausticpotash.l 90

y Cqrreciio in Lftesram No. 1,238,600.

It;y is hereby certified that'in` Letters Patent No.1,238 ,7600,' 2'8",l

i '1917, ilpon the Yapnlicaton of Harlan Trurnbull, Aof Se'rattle, Warehingtn, for anv o improvement in Processes of Producing lkn'lis From Kelp,"H nn error appears in the printed speeificetio'n Irequiring correetzionias follower: Line 36., "forvvi'tihe word alreedyf read zieculilg'i: end tihemid` Letters Patent should be'reedrvritih thisfv -correctio therein that the same may conform to thereeord he case init-he -r 

